O.N.E. CELEBRATION OF CREATIVITY & COMMUNITY

RAMBLE ON Speaking of community, it’s time once again for the Old North End Ramble. Entering its fifth year, Burlington’s civic-pride answer to the Civil War has become a hotly anticipated annual celebration. While it doesn’t yet have the cachet of, say, the South End Art Hop, the Ramble has earned a special place in the hearts of North Enders, who tend to be a prideful bunch when it comes to their stomping grounds. To paraphrase Naughty By Nature, if you ain’t ever been to the Old North End, don’t ever come to the Old North End. ’Cause you ain’t understand the Old North End.

Of course, that’s not true. The O.N.E. is really a lovely section of town — I live there, so I know. And the Ramble rules. The all-day festival is a veritable smorgasbord of art, music and community spirit. I’ll fill you in on the tunes right now. But for everything else, visit www.theramble.org.

This Saturday, once the kickoff parade, North vs. South Field Days and various other events and attractions are over, the parking lot of Jamba’s Junktiques on North Winooski Ave. is where any rock-minded music fan will want to be. The Ramble Round-up is always fun, and this year is no exception.

The belle of ball at this year’s Magic Hat Street Bizarre, Space Tiger, indie-rock upstarts The Villanelles and harmonicore hooligans Cccome? will be joined by a trio of newer acts, including Candy Hammer, The Vacant Lots and the aforementioned Blowtorch. Radio Bean proprietor Lee Anderson’s Unbearable Light Cabaret will also make an appearance, now that they’ve recuperated from their zany Bonnaroo adventures last month.